1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of insect control means, particularly those involving baited traps. More specifically, it relates to baited traps which utilize powered and/or motorized mechanisms in their operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical examples of insect traps may be found in the patent issued to Nettekoven for an ant trap (U.S. Pat. No. 1,822,307) and the patent issued to Cameron for an insect trap (U.S. Pat. No. 1,971,640). The Nettekoven patent teaches the design for an ant trap in which the insects, lured by the odor of a suitable bait, are forced to assume an inverted position as they traverse the inventor's planned path to the bait. In this position they are no longer able to maintain their grip on the path and fall downward into a container of water where they are exterminated. The Cameron patent also relies on the odor of a suitable bait to induce roaches or ants to enter the trap. In order to do so, however, they must crawl through a series of passages which are designed to baffle and resist their efforts to leave the trap. Neither patent utilizes any powered or motorized mechanism in trapping insects. Instead, they rely on the insects' own attraction and efforts to reach the bait material.
An example of a powered/motorized insect trap (and of more recent efforts in this field) may be found in the teachings of the patent issued to Chen for an automatic trap for catching cockroaches (U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,363). The Chen patent, unlike those previously described, is electrically powered. Its trapping mechanism is triggered by the entry of a single cockroach into its interior and acts to sweep the cockroach into a confinement cell for extermination. After accomplishing this, the mechanism returns to its "ready" state to await the entry of another cockroach.
The majority of insect control methods utilize either poisons (pesticides) or traps to exterminate damaging insects. Pesticides may be directly dispensed by spraying or some other means. In the alternative, pesticides may be incorporated into bait materials which attract the insects to be exterminated; the bait is then consumed by the insects. However, pesticides also pose dangers to humans, animals, or other beneficial insects. Thus, traps baited with suitable nonpoisonous attractants provide a more ideal means for controlling and/or exterminating insect pests such as flies or ants. In such traps, the insect to be exterminated is generally required to enter the trap by itself, attracted by the odor of a suitable bait material.
Notwithstanding prior advances in the art, few traps in existence have any utility in capturing flies. The reasons for this are based in part on the extreme wariness of these ubiquitous pests, which makes them extremely unlikely to enter into any trap enclosure. Because flies easily become disturbed, and quickly flee from any abrupt movement, they usually evade traps that feature, and rely on, fast acting mechanisms. Thus, prior traps, which typically rely on the insect's slow movements in searching for hidden bait are generally useless in capturing flies. In order to successfully trap flies, it is first necessary to attract them by providing openly exposed bait, and then providing means for moving them into the interior of a device in a such a manner that does not disturb or repel them.
All traps known to the inventor tend to lose their ability to attract insects after a relatively short period of time. The reason for this is simple. Since bait material must be exposed to, the air to attract insects, it tends to dry out and lose its potency as bait rather quickly. Moreover, in a trap of the type needed to capture flies, bait is usually made available for consumption by the flies being attracted. This presents a different situation from that which typically exists in insect traps, where the bait (while open to the air) is housed in such a manner that it may not be reached and consumed by the insects attracted. Thus, a need also exists (both generally in the field and particularly with regard to the type of trap designed to capture flies) for a means of renewing and refurbishing the bait used to attract the insects to be trapped.